Welcome2care is an HIV stigma reduction intervention for healthcare workers. It is a two day workshop with lecture discussions and activities. Activities are based on the concept of peer pressure on changing attitudes.

1. WELCOME-TO-CARE is an effective
HIV stigma reduction intervention for
healthcare workers
ZeroNewHIVInfections.ZeroDiscrimination.ZeroAIDS-RelatedDeaths.
Implement the ILO Recommendation on HIV and AIDS (No. 200)
Background
A twenty-item HIV stigma Index was conducted among 832 healthcare workers in public hospitals of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The study found
the level of HIV related stigma ranged from 42 to 49 per cent among health sector workers such as doctors, nurses, attendants and labourers
(p<0.001).
Methods
Welcome-to-care (W2C), an HIV stigma reduction tool, has been developed with health workers to reduce HIV related stigma. It consists of
introduction of HIV, recognition of stigma in communications, testimonies of PLHIV, understanding the personal and professional risks,
Standard precautions and HIV testing. This stigma reduction tool was applied with 41 nursing officers from two hospitals.
Results
This Welcome-to-care (W2C) tool showed significant improvement in stigma reduction among the nurses from an initial 76% to post-training
result of 89% using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test (p<0.001).
Conclusions
A participatory approach to stigma reduction programme for nurses with peer pressure could influence attitude change. Healthcare workers
benefit from refresher training on rights for health, professional conduct and practice rules.
Ajith Karawita, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, ajith.karawita@gmail.com
Manoji Gunathilake, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka
Ariyaratne Manathunge, Minsitry of Health, Sri Lanka
Indira Hettiarachchi, ILO Sri Lanka, indira@ilo.org
Protect Human Rights at Work
Prevent HIV
www.ilo.org/aids